George or Gheorghe Ranetti, born George Ranete
entry in the

University of Florence The University of Florence (Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Firenze'', UniFI) is an Italian public research university located in Florence, Italy. It comprises 12 schools and has around 50,000 students enrolled. History The first universi ...

, Dipartimento di Lingue e Letterature Neolatine, ''Cronologia della Letteratura Rumena''Mihail Straje, ''Dicționar de pseudonime, anonime, anagrame, astronime, criptonime ale scriitorilor și publiciștilor români'', pp. 587–588. Bucharest:

Editura Minerva Editura Minerva is one of the largest publishing houses in Romania. Located in Bucharest, it is known, among other things, for publishing classic Romanian literature Romanian literature () is literature written by Romanian authors, although the ...

, 1973. (October 1875 – May 25, 1928), was a

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

n poet, journalist and playwright, known as the founder and editor of '' Furnica'' magazine. A professional journalist from the late 1890s, he alternated between political dailies and literary reviews, being sympathetic to

Romanian nationalism Romanian nationalism is the nationalism which asserts that Romanians are a nation and promotes the cultural unity of Romanians. Its extremist variation is the Romanian ultranationalism.Aristotle KallisGenocide and Fascism: The Eliminationist Drive ...

and traditionalism, and working under

Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale (; commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179-184 – 9 June 1912) was a Romanian playw ...

at '' Moftul Român''. By 1904–1906, he was active on the margin of left-wing traditionalism, or

Poporanism Poporanism is a Romanian version of nationalism and populism. The word is derived from ''popor'', meaning "people" in Romanian. Founded by Constantin Stere in the early 1890s, Poporanism is distinguished by its opposition to socialism, promotion ...

, showing himself sympathetic to republican or generically anti-elitist ideologies. Such views and influences seeped into his activity at ''Furnica'', which was for decades a prominent institution in Romanian humor. Ranetti's literature, redolent of Caragiale and Anton Bacalbașa, was mostly ephemeral in nature, and often referenced the politics of his native

Mizil Mizil () is a town in Prahova County, Muntenia, Romania. Located in the southeastern part of the county, it lies along the road between the cities of Ploiești and Buzău, and to the northeast of the national capital, Bucharest. Its position led i ...

. His articles, fables, sketch stories and plays, with their critique of

Francization Francization (in American English, Canadian English, and Oxford English) or Francisation (in other British English), Frenchification, or Gallicization is the expansion of French language use—either through willful adoption or coercion—by more ...

and affectation, earned him a following in the general public, but were regarded by critics and scholars as dated, overreaching, or overall inferior to the Caragiale model. His satire often had very precise targets, including

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

Carol I and his courtier Ioan Kalinderu, politician George D. Pallade, and actor

Ion Brezeanu Ion or Iancu Brezeanu (December 1, 1869–March 17, 1940) was a Romanian stage actor. His jovial figure made Brezeanu ideal for comedic roles, above all in the works of Ion Luca Caragiale, whose favorite he was. In 1888, while still a studen ...

. In addition to putting out original texts, Ranetti was a noted translator and

dramaturge A dramaturge or dramaturg is a literary adviser or editor in a theatre, opera, or film company who researches, selects, adapts, edits, and interprets scripts, libretti, texts, and printed programmes (or helps others with these tasks), consults auth ...

, who adapted works by

Georges Courteline Georges Courteline born Georges Victor Marcel Moinaux (25 June 1858 – 25 June 1929) was a French dramatist and novelist, a satirist notable for his sharp wit and cynical humor. Biography His family moved from Tours in Indre-et-Loire to Pari ...

and

Paul Gavault Paul Armand Marcel Gavault (1 September 1866 - 25 December 1951) was a French dramatist, playwright and former director of the théâtre de l'Odéon. Biography He enjoyed a hit with his 1906 comic play '' Mademoiselle Josette, My Woman'' whi ...

. Nationalism also influenced Ranetti's politics, including his vocal support for the

Entente Powers The Triple Entente (from French '' entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well a ...

during World War I. That period saw him engaged in polemics with colleagues Emil Fagure and A. de Herz, and contributing to nationalist propaganda as co-editor of ''România'' newspaper. His postwar years, marked by his split from, then return to, ''Furnica'', were spent writing parody novels and collecting his scattered poetry. By the time of his death, he was an editor and writer for ''

Universul ''Universul'' was a mass-circulation newspaper in Romania. It existed from 1884 to 1953, and was run by Stelian Popescu from 1914 to 1943 (with a two-year break during World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbrev ...

'' daily.

Life

Early life and debut

George Ranetti-Ranete was born in 1875, either on October 10Călinescu, p. 729 or October 18, in

town, Prahova County. The son of Vasile Ranetti (or Ranete) and Lina Ioachimescu, he had a younger brother, Atanase Ranetti-Picolo (born March 1878), who also pursued a career in the press.Călinescu, pp. 728–729 The family, despite being assumed

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

,Călinescu, p. 728 was in fact Romanian. According to Ranetti, his ancestors were peasants. However, genealogical studies have confirmed his belonging to the local aristocracy. His ancestors may have included the boyar Hranete, or more certainly a Ranete sin Dimitrie Căpitanu, ennobled in

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and s ...

ca. 1819. His paternal grandfather had lost his boyar status and worked as a trader in Fefelei, outside Mizil; Ranetti's father, Vasile, was a lawyer in town, who briefly served as Deputy Mayor in a

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

administration."George Ranetti despre debutul său literar"; "Note biografice", in '' Universul Literar'', Issue 21/1928, p. 335 After school in Mizil, George went to Saints Peter and Paul Lyceum in

Ploiești Ploiești ( , , ), formerly spelled Ploești, is a city and county seat in Prahova County, Romania. Part of the historical region of Muntenia, it is located north of Bucharest. The area of Ploiești is around , and it borders the Blejoi commune ...

. Using the pen name Rolla, he published his first article, a defense of his father's politics, in the local paper ''Gazeta Buzăului'' (ca. 1890); he made sure that his first poems, motivated by unrequited love and "ridiculously naive", were never published. After getting his

baccalaureate Baccalaureate may refer to: * ''Baccalauréat'', a French national academic qualification * Bachelor's degree, or baccalaureate, an undergraduate academic degree * English Baccalaureate, a performance measure to assess secondary schools in England ...

, he was for a while a student of Law at the

University of Bucharest The University of Bucharest ( ro, Universitatea din București), commonly known after its abbreviation UB in Romania, is a public university founded in its current form on by a decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza to convert the former Princel ...

. He never graduated, feeling encouraged enough to start writing professionally, but remained in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

as an employee of the Romanian Post. From about 1894, he became a contributor to '' Adevărul'' daily, under the assumed name of Namuna. His jokes and his first published translation, from Edmond Haraucourt, were screened by the editor, Anton "Tony" Bacalbașa—whom Ranetti saw as "my literary godfather". Some of his earliest work saw print in traditionalist magazines: '' Vatra'' and ''Pagini Literare'', ca. 1894, ''Povestea Vorbei'', from March 1897, and ''Floare Albastră'', ca. 1898. He alternated these contributions with pieces that appeared in the provincial press of Iași, including, in 1896, the daily ''Sara'' (as Șandernagor)Constantin Ostap
"Caragiale și presa ieșeană (I)"
in ''

Convorbiri Literare ''Convorbiri Literare'' ( Romanian: ''Literary Talks'') is a Romanian literary magazine published in Romania. It is among the most important journals of the nineteenth-century Romania. History and profile ''Convorbiri Literare'' was founded by ...

'', September 2002 and, in 1897, the socialist ''Noutatea''. The following year, he was working as an editor of

Nicolae Fleva Nicolae Fleva (; also known as Nicu Fleva, Correspondent"Scrisoare din București" in ''Românul (Arad)'', Nr. 14/1912, p.4 (digitized by the Babeș-Bolyai Universitybr>Transsylvanica Online Library Francized ''Nicolas Fléva'';Cișmigiu, when his house was robbed by an unknown assailant. Also in 1898, he and Tony wrote for the left-leaning satirical newspaper ''Ardeiul'', put out in

Târgu Jiu Târgu Jiu () is the capital of Gorj County in the Oltenia region of Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu. Eight localities are administered by the city: Bârsești, Drăgoieni, Iezureni, Polat ...

by Witold Rolla-Piekarski, then for Tony's own '' Moș Teacă''. Using the pen name Tarascon, Ranete-Ranetti published his first volume of humorous verse, ''Dom Paladu'', in 1899. It went to three more editions by 1902.Călinescu, p. 1019 He was in parallel a reporter for '' Epoca'' (where his brother also took a salary) and '' Lupta'', where he published his first epigrams. Ranetti also continued Bacalbașa's work by bringing back ''Moș Teacă'' in 1899, signing his articles there as G. Ranetty, Nagor, Rolla, Romeo, Șan, Șander, Șandernagor, Tarascon, Tarasconată, Ghiță, or Jorj Delamizil (roughly: "Georgy of Mizil"). In this new edition, ''Moș Teacă'' was putting out pieces deriding Christianity, for instance depicting the Annunciation as an act of adultery. This activity sparked a national controversy, with ''România Jună'' asking that ''Moș Teacă'' be banned and its publisher investigated. By then, the more famous comedic writer

had declared himself entertained by Ranetti's "delicious" poetry. The two authors met regularly in Vadu Săpat, in the family home of Leonida Condeescu, who was serving as Mizil's mayor in 1895. Employed by Caragiale, Ranetti worked for a while as editor of the satirical magazine '' Moftul Român'', in its second edition; he was also a guest speaker at Caragiale's banquet, marking his silver jubilee in literature, in February 1901. He continued to publish standalone booklets and volumes, either as himself or under the pen name Cyrano: ''Strofe și apostrofe'' ("Stanzas and Apostrophes", 1900), ''Ahturi și ofuri'' ("Aahs and Oohs", 1901), ''Eu rîd, tu rîzi, el rîde'' ("I Laugh, You Laugh, He Laughs", 1903). In its original edition, ''Ahturi și ofuri'' carried a preface by Ranetti's colleague and mentor, the recently deceased Tony. From 1901 to 1904, Ranetti edited the satirical paper ''Zeflemeaua'' ("Badinage"), for which he used Cyrano, Jorj Delamizil, and a set of other pen names—Cyr, Ghiță, Ghiță Delacoperativă, Peneș, Putifar, V. V. Rița, and Kiriac Napadarjan (or N'a pas d'argent). The paper also delved in

investigative journalism Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years res ...

, and its stated mission was to expose cases of corruption. Silvia Craus
"Cațavencii de altădată"
in ''Bihoreanul'', November 2005 Its editorial office published another one of Ranetti's books, presented as Dom Paladu's letters from Italy (''Scrisori din Italia'').

''Furnica'' and Poporanism

With Caragiale's departure for Berlin in 1904, Ranetti began feeling alone on the Romanian scene. In epigrams he wrote at the time, he pleaded with Caragiale to return, and chided D. Teleor for attempting to revive ''Moftul Român'' without its leading talent. Mircea Popa
"Caragiale în oglinda poeziei vremii"
in '' Apostrof'', Issue 6/2012 Those years brought his involvement as a

of the

National Theater Bucharest The National Theatre Bucharest ( ro, Teatrul Naţional "Ion Luca Caragiale" București) is one of the national theatres of Romania, located in the capital city of Bucharest. Founding It was founded as the ''Teatrul cel Mare din București'' ("Gra ...

, one of several writers brought in by Chairman Pompiliu Eliade. In 1903, he adapted for the stage a story by

. His own play, ''Săracul Dumitrescu'' ("Poor Dumitrescu"), was produced by the same company the following year. He was employed by the Oteteleșeanu Park Theater, where, in 1905, he adapted a foreign play, as ''Mița Tirbușon'' ("Little Mary Corkscrew"); also then, the "Lyric Theater" staged two other of his adaptations—''Doctorul damelor'' ("A Ladies' Doctor") and ''Țivila dela hotel Ghidale'' ("A Civilian Lady in Hotel Ghidale"). In 1903 or 1904, Ranetti also finished his "character novel" ''Căsnicie modernă'' ("A Modern Marriage"). He was also writing occasional chronicles of plays staged by the National Theater, many of them taken up in Ion Livescu's ''Revista Teatrelor'', ca. 1903, and ''

'', ca. 1904.Eftimiu, p. 472 One was read by young

Victor Eftimiu Victor Eftimiu (; 24 January 1889 – 27 November 1972) was a Romanian poet and playwright. He was a contributor to ''Sburătorul'', a Romanian literary magazine. His works have been performed in the State Jewish Theater of Romania. Eftim ...

, a future playwright and friend of Ranetti, who was thus convinced to pursue a career in the field. Ranetti and the traditionalists had in common a mutual dislike for the

and aristocratic pretense of ''

fin de siècle () is a French term meaning "end of century,” a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom "turn of the century" and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without context, ...

'' Romanian culture. This hostility seeped into rhyming letters sent by Ranetti to his self-exiled friend Caragiale, and then into a topical volume, the 1904 ''Franțuzomania'' ("Frenchie-mania"). Also that year, he became the chief editor at '' Furnica'' ("The Ant"). It had been founded by him and Nae Dumitrescu Țăranu, son of a rich agriculturist. He would publish there under a host of pseudonyms, revisiting his ''Zeflemeaua'' ones, but also add more to the list: George Biciușcă, Caiafa, Coco, Contele de Techirghiol ("Count of Techirghiol"), Ghiță Delagambrinus (or the mock-aristocratic Lord Ghytza and Don Ghițos Delagambrinos y Mizilos), Netty, Ghiță Nifilistul, Sarsailă, Tovarășul Ghiță. The socialist Eftimiu argued that ''Furnica''s politics were left-of-center, with Ranetti as "a convinced democrat, anti-monarchic, an enemy of those who stood for the bourgeois-landowning society".Eftimiu, p. 471 His pen, Eftimiu claims, "served to castigate racketeering politicians, prejudice, debauchery, fake patriotism, and all the dovetailing high-society that was creaking at the corners."Eftimiu, p. 473

Carol I himself was ridiculed, and aware of it, but took no measure to suppress Ranetti. On one occasion, Ranetti participated in rendering homage to a Romanian royal, namely the Princess Dowager

Marie of Edinburgh Marie (born Princess Marie Alexandra Victoria of Edinburgh; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938) was the last Queen of Romania as the wife of King Ferdinand I. Marie was born into the British royal family. Her parents were Prince Alfred, ...

. With

Cincinat Pavelescu Cincinat Pavelescu ( – November 30, 1934) was a Romanian poet and playwright. Born in Bucharest, his parents were the engineer Ion Pavelescu and his wife Paulina (''née'' Bucșan). He attended school in his native city, followed by the law ...

Radu D. Rosetti Radu D. Rosetti or Rossetti (December 13 Constantin Ciopraga, ''Literatura română între 1900 și 1918'', pp. 296–297. Iași: Editura Junimea, 1970 or December 18, Șerban Cioculescu, "Amintiri. Radu D. Rosetti", in '' România Literară'', I ...

Dimitrie Anghel Dimitrie Anghel (; July 16, 1872 – November 13, 1914) was a Romanian poet. Anghel was of Aromanian descent from his father. His first poem was published in ''Contemporanul'' (1890). His debut editorial ''Traduceri din Paul Verlaine'' was publi ...

and

Ștefan Octavian Iosif Ștefan Octavian Iosif (; 11 October 1875 – 22 June 1913) was an Austro-Hungarian-born Romanian poet and translator. Life Born in Brașov, Transylvania (part of Austria-Hungary at the time), he studied in his native town and in Sibiu befor ...

, he co-wrote a poem welcoming her to the '' Tinerimea Artistică'' salon of March 1906. Some of ''Furnica''s most noted cartoonists were ''Tinerimea'' painters:

Ion Theodorescu-Sion Ion Theodorescu-Sion (; also known as Ioan Theodorescu-Sion or Teodorescu-Sion; January 2, 1882 – March 31, 1939) was a Romanian painter and draftsman, known for his contributions to modern art and especially for his traditionalist, primitivist, ...

Camil Ressu Camil Ressu (; 28 January 1880 – 1 April 1962) was a Romanian painter and academic, one of the most significant art figures of Romania. Biography Early life and career Born in Galați, Ressu originated from an Aromanian family that migrated ...

Iosif Iser Iosif Iser (21 May 1881 – 25 April 1958; born and died in Bucharest) was a Romanian painter and graphic artist. Born to a Jewish family, he was initially inspired by Expressionism, creating drawings with thick, unmodulated, lines and steep ang ...

Francisc Șirato Francisc Şirato (August 15, 1877, Craiova, Principality of Romania - August 4, 1953, Bucharest, Socialist Republic of Romania) was a Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Sout ...

, Nicolae Petrescu Găină, and Ary Murnu—the latter remembered especially for his routine mockery of Ioan Kalinderu, administrator of the crown domains. A. H., "Moartea lui George Ranetti", in '' Țara Noastră'', Issue 20/1928, p. 644 The articles and caricatures were more lenient toward actor

, who was the other stock character in ''Furnica'' humor. Ranetti personally was described by critic

Mihail Dragomirescu Mihail Dragomirescu (March 22, 1868 – November 25, 1942) was a Romanian aesthetician, literary theorist and critic. Born in Plătărești, Călărași County, he completed primary school in his native village in 1881, followed by Bucharest's G ...

as an "independent" advocate of

, on the left-wing of Romanian agrarian traditionalism. An occasional contributor to the Poporanist '' Viața Romînească'', he was eventually given a permanent column, called ''Scrisori din București'' ("Letters from Bucharest"). Ranetti's rejection of

Francophilia A Francophile, also known as Gallophile, is a person who has a strong affinity towards any or all of the French language, French history, French culture and/or French people. That affinity may include France itself or its history, language, cuis ...

became radical by early 1906. On March 15, he and Țăranu signed expressed public support for an anti-Francization manifesto, written and published by

Alexandru Vlahuță Alexandru Vlahuță (; 5 September 1858 – 19 November 1919) was a Romanian writer. His best known work is '' România pitorească'', an overview of Romania's landscape in the form of a travelogue. He was also the main editor of ''Sămănătorul ...

. The same day, he witnessed the anti-French riots instigated by the nationalist doctrinaire

Nicolae Iorga Nicolae Iorga (; sometimes Neculai Iorga, Nicolas Jorga, Nicolai Jorga or Nicola Jorga, born Nicu N. Iorga;Iova, p. xxvii. 17 January 1871 – 27 November 1940) was a Romanian historian, politician, literary critic, memoirist, Albanologist, poet ...

at the National Theater. In a reprint of ''Franțuzomania'', he expressed support for Iorga, calling the movement's repression by the authorities an "intrigue" and "awful slaughter". Also that year, Ranetti produced the "rhyming prologue" ''Vatra luminoasă'' ("Burning Hearth") and, as Spiriduș ("Elf"), published pieces in the anti-monarchy gazette ''Protestarea''. According to the left-wing magazine ''Democrația'', Ranetti was in charge of ''Protestarea'' as well, but only as a front for

Nicolae Filipescu Nicolae Filipescu (December 5, 1862 – September 30, 1916) was a Romanian politician. Filipescu was the mayor of Bucharest between February 1893 and October 1895. It was during his term the first electric tramways circulated in Bucharest. Betw ...

, who ran ''Epoca''. According to this version of events, Filipescu used Ranetti to "bewilder the popular masses" into supporting an "oligarchy" that had superficially embraced republicanism; ''Protestarea'' was closed down by Filipescu, since it only stirred "contempt from the popular masses". In tandem, ''Furnica''s politics became an embarrassment for the governments of

Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino (22 September 1833 – 22 March 1913), was a Romanian politician and lawyer, one of the leading Conservative Party policymakers. Among his political posts were minister of public instruction in Romania, presid ...

and

Dimitrie Sturdza Dimitrie Sturdza (, in full Dimitrie Alexandru Sturdza-Miclăușanu; 10 March 183321 October 1914) was a Romanian statesman and author of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884. Biography Born in Iași ...

, during the early stages of the 1907 Peasants' Revolt. The issues of February 15 and March 15 were confiscated by

Ministry of Internal Affairs An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...

.Baiculescu ''et al.'', p. 269 Two more volumes came out in 1907, as ''Fabule'' ("Fables") and the verse comedy ''Romeo și Julietta la Mizil'' ("Romeo and Juliet from Mizil"), followed in 1909 by the selection ''Schițe vesele'' ("Cheerful Sketches"). Pe ţăranul ăsta nu-l pui la Expoziţie, Protestarea 1906 MI dec72

Pe ţăranul ăsta nu-l pui la Expoziţie, Protestarea 1906 MI dec72

Although Ranetti continued to be published by the right-wing traditionalist press, and most notably by Iorga's ''

Sămănătorul ''Sămănătorul'' or ''Semănătorul'' (, Romanian for "The Sower") was a literary and political magazine published in Romania between 1901 and 1910. Founded by poets Alexandru Vlahuță and George Coșbuc, it is primarily remembered as a tribune ...

'' and '' Ramuri'' reviews (1905–1907), his ''Furnica'' was viewed by the culturally conservative as rather distasteful. Iorga, a noted target of Murnu's satire, argued in 1922: "For a while, that is to say for as long as they could maintain evident independence and choose between easy jokes and social–political satire for some definite purpose, the magazine ''Furnica'', of Messrs. Gh orgheRanetti and Țăranu, could exercise real influence over a superficial layer of Romanian society." However, Iorga's coauthor,

Constantin Bacalbașa Constantin is an Aromanian, Megleno-Romanian and Romanian male given name. It can also be a surname. For a list of notable people called Constantin, see Constantine (name). See also * Constantine (name) * Konstantin The first name Konsta ...

(Tony's brother), qualified such statements: "Various attempts at putting out all sorts of papers, some of them pornographic in content, could not take hold .. Only in 1904 ith ''Furnica''did there emerge a humorous paper that showed promise, and that survived to this day. ..Leaving behind the old habit of turning a humorous gazette into a purely opposition newspaper, Messrs. G. Ranetti and N. D. Țăranu have created themselves a weekly newspaper of varied content, with very little politics."

Early 1910s

Ranetti's work for the stage was continued in 1909, when his adaptation of the ''Moș Teacă'' stories was produced by Blanduzia Theater. ''Romeo și Julietta la Mizil'', which became a best-seller, was itself written especially for the stage. It premiered at the National Theater in the 1909–1911 seasons, alongside Ranetti's translation of

Henry Bataille Félix-Henri "Henry" Bataille (4 April 1872, in Nîmes – 2 March 1922, in Rueil-Malmaison) was a French dramatist and poet. His works were popular between 1900 and the start of World War I. Bataille's parents died when he was young. He atten ...

's ''La Femme nue''. Although his translation was deemed "implausibly bad" by the dramatist

Liviu Rebreanu Liviu Rebreanu (; November 27, 1885 – September 1, 1944) was a Romanian novelist, playwright, short story writer, and journalist. Life Born in Felsőilosva (now Târlișua, Bistrița-Năsăud County, Transylvania), then part of the Kingd ...

, Ranetti's own play was granted the 3rd place in the National Theater's biannual awards ceremony, June 1910. He shared that distinction, worth 500

francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' (King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centu ...

, with Anghel and Iosif. At first he chided Caragiale, who, on his trips back to Romania, had become an orator for the

Conservative-Democratic Party The Conservative-Democratic Party (, PCD) was a political party in Romania. Over the years, it had the following names: the Democratic Party, the Nationalist Conservative Party, or the Unionist Conservative Party. The Conservative-Democratic Part ...

, but soon embarked on a political career of his own. Ranetti decided to run for the

Chamber Chamber or the chamber may refer to: In government and organizations * Chamber of commerce, an organization of business owners to promote commercial interests *Legislative chamber, in politics * Debate chamber, the space or room that houses delib ...

's 2nd College seat in

Ilfov Ilfov () is the county that surrounds Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It used to be largely rural, but, after the fall of Communism, many of the county's villages and communes developed into high-income commuter towns, which act like subur ...

during early elections in 1909. As reported by eyewitness Henri Stahl, there was widespread voter fraud, and Ranetti had no observer on hand to report on it. Ranetti also registered as an Ilfov candidate in the March 1911 election, but again lost, polling only 326 votes. Having served as vice president of the

Romanian Writers' Society The Romanian Writers' Society ( ro, Societatea Scriitorilor Români) was a professional association based in Bucharest, Romania, that aided the country's writers and promoted their interests. Founded in 1909, it operated for forty years before the e ...

in its original avatar of 1908, Ranetti was elected (April 6, 1911) on the first Steering Committee of the Romanian Theatrical Society, alongside R. D. Rosetti,

George Diamandy George Ion Diamandy or Diamandi, first name also Gheorghe or Georges (February 27, 1867 – December 27, 1917), was a Romanian politician, dramatist, social scientist, and archeologist. Although a rich landowner of aristocratic background, he was o ...

, A. de Herz, and Paul Gusty. During May 1911, he and C. Bacalbașa left for London, where they were to cover the coronation of

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...

. Later that summer, Ranetti and Eftimiu traveled into

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

, where they witnessed aerial shows by the Romanian aviation pioneer,

Aurel Vlaicu Aurel Vlaicu (; 19 November 1882 – 13 September 1913) was a Romanian engineer, inventor, airplane constructor and early pilot.Gheorghiu, 1960 Early years and education Aurel Vlaicu was born in the village of Binținți in Transylvania, Aus ...

, and met with a visiting Caragiale. On their way to the ASTRA celebrations of

Blaj Blaj (; archaically spelled as ''Blaș''; hu, Balázsfalva; german: Blasendorf; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Blußendref'') is a city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. It has a population of 20,630 inhabitants. The landmark of the city is the f ...

, they took the "derelict car" of Andrei Popovici, a Transylvanian volunteer in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

. By 1913, Ranetti had returned to his work as a dramaturge, adapting

's ''L'idée de Françoise''. Before and during the

Second Balkan War The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 16 ( O.S.) / 29 (N.S.) June 1913. Serbian and Greek armies r ...

, he and ''Furnica'' began exposing cases of malfeasance in office, involving the higher echelons of the Conservative Party—focusing on

Petre P. Carp Petre P. Carp (; also Petrache Carp, Francized ''Pierre Carp'', Ioana Pârvulescu"O adresă high-life", in ''România Literară'', Nr. 25/2010 occasionally ''Comte Carpe''; 28 Mircea Dumitriu"Petre P. Carp – un suflet, un caracter, o idee", in ...

and

Alexandru Bădărău Alexandru A. Bădărău (April 9, 1859–March 27, 1927) was a Romanian politician, academic, and journalist. Born in Bădărăi, Iași County (now in Botoșani County), his father was the local mayor. He studied at the National College in I ...

's alleged nepotism. This period saw his involvement in theatrical and literary polemics: in 1913, he attacked in ''Epoca'' and ''Furnica''

Alexandru Davila Alexandru Davila (; February 12, 1862 – October 19, 1929) was a Romanian dramatist, diplomat, public administrator, and memoirist. Biography The son of Carol Davila, a distinguished military physician of French origin, and Ana Racoviţă (a de ...

, chairman of the National Theater, alleging that he was corrupt, womanizing, and violent toward his staff. Around that time, Transylvanian literary critic

Ilarie Chendi Ilarie Chendi (November 14, 1871 – June 23, 1913) was a Romanian literary critic. Born in Darlac, Kis-Küküllő County, now Dârlos, Sibiu County, in Transylvania, his father Vasile was a Romanian Orthodox priest, while his mother Eliza ( ...

began referring to Ranetti as ''Javranetti'' (from ''javră'', "scoundrel"). Ranetti returned with books only in 1914, when he issued another standalone volume of prose, ''Matache Pisălog'' ("Matache the Bore"). In May, just before the start of World War I, George and Anastase Ranetti returned with

Ion Gorun Ion Gorun (pen name of Alexandru I. Hodoș; December 30, 1863–March 30, 1928) was an Imperial Austrian-born Romanian prose writer, poet and translator. Biography Born in Roșia, Sibiu County, his parents were Iosif Hodoș and his wif ...

on a cultural tour of Transylvania, attending Romanian-only events in Arad and

Șiria Șiria (german: Hellburg; hu, Világos) is a commune in Arad County, Romania. According to the 2002 census it had 8,140 inhabitants. The commune is situated at from Arad, its administrative territory covers , and it lies in the contact zone o ...

. Writing an epigram in honor of

Vasile Goldiș Vasile Goldiș (12 November 1862 – 10 February 1934) was a Romanian politician, social theorist, and member of the Romanian Academy. Early life He was born on 12 November 1862 in his grandfather's (Teodor Goldiș) house in the village of M ...

, Ranetti was there as a delegate of both the Romanian Journalists' Syndicate and Iorga's

Cultural League for the Unity of All Romanians Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...

. Shortly after, Ranetti and ''Furnica'' joined a coalition of Francophiles and nationalists, supporting neutral Romania's alliance with the

. In December 1914, Ranetti joined the Cultural League's Steering Committee, whose secretary was Iorga. One of the regulars at literary hot-spots such as

Casa Capșa Casa Capșa is a historic restaurant in Bucharest, Romania, first established in 1852. At various times it has also included a hotel; most recently, it reopened as a 61-room hotel 17 June 2003. "…long a symbol of Bucharest for its inhabitants� ...

and Kübler Coffeehouse, and a contributor to Cristu Negoescu's review ''România de Mâine'', he was focused on a dispute with the more skeptical Emil Fagure, of '' Adevărul''. As noted years later by their common acquaintance

I. Peltz Isac Peltz or Ițig Peltz (12 February 1899–10 August 1980) was a Romanian prose writer and journalist. Born into a Bucharest Jewish family of small craftsmen, his father Nathan Peltz was a tailor, while his mother Estera (''née'' Rotenberg) ...

, this turned into a quarrel: "Ranetti the humorist could not maintain his serenity and objective judgment in his everyday life, as various exaggerations of the chauvinistic kind seeped into his writing."

, ''Amintiri din viața literară'', p. 57. Bucharest:

Cartea Românească Cartea Românească ("The Romanian Book") is a publishing house in Bucharest, Romania, founded in 1919. Disestablished by the Communist Romania, communist regime in 1948, it was restored under later communism, in 1970, when it functioned as the off ...

, 1974.

Wartime relocation and return

Romania eventually signed a pact with the Entente, entering the war in late 1916, but the Ententist side soon appeared morally defeated. Following a

Central Powers The Central Powers, also known as the Central Empires,german: Mittelmächte; hu, Központi hatalmak; tr, İttifak Devletleri / ; bg, Централни сили, translit=Tsentralni sili was one of the two main coalitions that fought in ...

counteroffensive and the fall of Bucharest (during which ''Furnica'' began a long hiatus), Ranetti followed the

Romanian Army The Romanian Land Forces ( ro, Forțele Terestre Române) is the army of Romania, and the main component of the Romanian Armed Forces. In recent years, full professionalisation and a major equipment overhaul have transformed the nature of the Lan ...

on its hasty retreat, settling in Iași. There, he earned an editorial position at ''România'', the nationalist propaganda magazine, which had been created by General Prezan and

Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; November 5, 1880 – October 19, 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting head of state for the communis ...

as a means to "sustain the morale of soldiers and civilians." Ranetti's contributions included an October 17 editorial, in which he asked

Romanian Jews The history of the Jews in Romania concerns the Jews both of Romania and of Romanian origins, from their first mention on what is present-day Romanian territory. Minimal until the 18th century, the size of the Jewish population increased after ...

to cease speaking in German for the duration of war. His employment at ''România'' entitled Ranetti to "a daily purchase of two liters of wine". From March 1917, he and Petre Locusteanu also put out the satirical weekly ''Greerul'' ("The Cricket"). While working there, Ranetti often returned to his earlier pseudonyms, including George Biciușcă and Kiriac Napadarjan, but also signed himself Geo and Marchizul de Kogealac ("Marquis of Cogealac"). By then, in occupied Bucharest, some of his former colleagues were lambasting Ranetti for his political choices. In his ''Scena'' daily, the Theatrical Society's Herz called Ranetti "morally responsible for our misery". Herz suggested for Ranetti, Locusteanu, Nicolae N. Beldiceanu, N. N. Beldiceanu and Corneliu Moldovanu to be captured and Caning, caned, "so that we may unclog their alcohol-seeped, infatuated, stupid brains." Despite such setbacks, the Ententist side returned to prominence in late 1918, with the Armistice of 11 November 1918, defeat of Germany. On September 9, ''Greerul'' put out its last issue. On December 14, ''Furnica'' reappeared, but without Ranetti as head editor: the December 28 issue announced that he had sold his stock to Țăranu. According to the staff critic at ''Gândirea'', the magazine was declining, "scraping a living from localizations and adaptions, cheaply paid for and cheaply provided, with an inferior technology." By January 1919, Ranetti had returned to Bucharest, again a member of Iorga's Cultural League, campaigning for the consolidation of Greater Romania. He was mostly focused on collecting his scattered verse. These appeared as bound books: at Casa Școalelor, ''De atunci și d-acolo, versuri ușurele scrise-n clipe grele'' ("From Then and There: Easy Rhymes of Tougher Times", 1921); at

, ''Poezii'' ("Poems", 1923). Other late works include a mock-psychological novel in verse, ''Domnișoara Miau'' ("Miss Meow", 1921) and the prose work ''Domnișoara Strakinidy'' ("Miss Porringeridis")—both at Cartea Românească. He also diversified his contributions in the press, collaborating with, or being republished by, ''Românul'' of Arad, ''Fagurele'' of Ploiești, and ''Straja'' and ''Robia Modernă'' of Craiova. These were followed later by ''Curierul Sanitar'', ''Cronica Romanului'', ''Glasul Țării'', ''Praftorița'', and the new edition of ''Cuvânt Moldovenesc (newspaper), Cuvânt Moldovenesc''. In 1924, Ranetti also became the editorial secretary of ''Universul'', under publisher Stelian Popescu. "George Biciușcă" still made occasional returns to ''Furnica'': in late 1923, it carried his riposte against his wartime enemy Herz, calling for his work to be censored. From 1925 to his death, Ranetti was again editor of ''Furnica'', restoring his partnership with Țăranu. Some of his final articles, appearing in ''Universul'' in 1926, discussed his wartime meetings with Sadoveanu and the ''România'' staff. Other late pieces appeared in ''Dreptatea'', ''Foaia Noastră'', ''Glasul Patriei'' of Craiova, and Ion Moța Sr's ''Libertatea''. Overall, Ranetti's work comprised at least fifteen years of daily texts and, as noted by Gorun, "if collected, would amount to a genuine library." In 1928, Ranetti was working on a collected works edition, also at Cartea Românească, but never saw it through.Al. Bădăuță, "Cronica. Au murit trei scriitori", in ''Gândirea'', Issue 5/1928, pp. 233–234 He died on May 2, 1928, in Bucharest, and was buried at Bellu cemetery, Plot 98.Gheorghe G. Bezviconi, ''Necropola Capitalei'', p. 235. Bucharest: Nicolae Iorga Institute of History, 1972 Days later, eulogies appeared in ''Gândirea'', '' Țara Noastră'', and ''Viitorul'', followed by a retrospective article in ''Universul Literar'' and, in later years, by Tudor Arghezi and D. I. Suchianu's essays on Ranetti. ''Furnica'' survived under Țăranu's management, but became in 1930 a supplement of the daily ''Vremea''. In 1940, Ranetti was dedicated a special issue of Ștefan Baciu's ''Veselia''. He was survived until 1932 by his Common-law marriage, common-law wife, Cleopatra "Cleo" Iamandi, and, until 1947, by his brother Atanase. The latter also contributed a dedication on George's grave, and was eventually buried next to him.

Work

Ranetti carried on the satirical tradition of ''Moftul Românesc'', being in particular influenced by

and Anton Bacalbașa—but also, to some degree, by D. Teleor and Joséphin Soulary. As introduced by his entry in the

Romanian literature project, he was "a minor poet, prose writer, and playwright"; "prolific, gifted with an accessible verve, he wrote facile prose." This relies on earlier critical verdicts by critics and cultural historians. As noted in 1941 by George Călinescu: "These days, just about nobody would dare confer upon G. Ranetti a literato's status." Nonetheless, in their time, Ranetti's satires were celebrated by the literary establishment, including Caragiale,Pârvulescu, p. 86 the columnists at '' Viața Romînească'', and the philosopher-critic Titu Maiorescu. Overall, Călinescu suggests, "one cannot ask of his journalism that it endure, but we must admit that it reached a level that has never been touched since." According to Peltz: "Gheorghe Ranetti squandered his talent in the pages of a humorous magazine—albeit one of importance: ''Furnica''—and in bohemia." Călinescu saw Ranetti's verse as carried by his "sufficient if amateurish culture", requiring of the reader "a certain finesse". With his poetic debut as "Dom Paladu", Ranetti parodied and impersonated George D. Pallade, the National Liberal Party (Romania, 1875), National Liberal Party politico, making abundant use of 1890s Bucharest slang. In his fictional avatar, Pallade appeared as "a great carouser, something of a rube, and a lover of womenfolk". One such piece has Dom Paladu complaining about the arrival of autumn, which inevitably slows down his philandering—he expresses his wish to "discuss matters of love with the ladies"—but not as socialists expect him to. Works in the genre include stanzas written in French for a Romanian public, translating Romanian idioms and proverbs in literal fashion. For instance, he referred to an insignificant loss as to a ''dommage en champignons'' (from the Romanian ''pagubă-n ciuperci'', "a waste of mushrooms"), and to a very unlikely situation as ''quand tu verrais ton chignon'' (''când ți-oi vedea ceafa'', "when you'll be seeing your nape"). As noted by Gorun, Ranetti produced several "poems of deep sentiment, of butterflies, and trees, and nightingales", published with "the discretion of true art" in ''Viața Romînească''. According to writer Al. Bădăuță, Ranetti excelled in the fable genre, producing works that were "truly precious and accomplished". In sharp contrast, other poems were "joyful seeds" or "hurried improvisations", occasioned by political events. Some stanzas, published in ''Furnica'' and attributed to Ranetti, were irreverently anti-monarchic: When it was first published, ''Romeo și Julietta la Mizil'' enlisted complaints from poet Gheorghe Kernbach, who declared himself horrified by the "crudeness" of its comedic realism.

found the comedy of manners "vulgar", and described the related piece, ''Săracul Dumitrescu'', as a sample of the Poporanists' didactic art, overall "melodramatic". Largely a parody of Romeo and Juliet, its classical model, ''Romeo și Julietta la Mizil'' followed the conflict of National Liberals and Conservatives, "with Shakespearean situations translated to Mizil's urban conditions." It is also heavily indebted to Caragiale, to the point of intertextuality, and, as Eftimiu recalls, "readers probably associated" it with ''O scrisoare pierdută''. The play shows the two local party leaders coming to terms with their children having fallen in love with each other, and switching sides, only to find themselves occupying each other's starting position. In the background, various secondary characters refer to other topics of satire: the double-dealing policeman, the cunning governess, the incomprehensible telegraphist. Scholar Ioana Pârvulescu uses the work as a case study, highlighting Caragiale's superiority: although it uses "the exact same prime matter" and "the Literary topos, topoi of the ''Belle Époque''", ''Romeo și Julietta la Mizil'' proves "that one may produce a masterpiece, and the other a kerfuffle". In Ranetti's text, she notes, the wordplay covers "mannequins and cardboard", while Caragiale uses journalistic speech to invoke "live humans", "preserving and treasuring life". She acknowledges that, otherwise, Ranetti displays an "inventive language" and "virtuosity". In his prose, Ranetti took inspiration from real-life situations, and explored their comical and licentious potential. Thus, his achievements in prose include reportage pieces written with a deadpan seriousness, but with absurd humor and hints of the obscene. According to Pârvulescu, "everything that Ranetti ever wrote in ''Furnica'' magazine is plagued by vulgarity and inconsistency." His noted contributions there include jibes at Maria Mihăescu, the notorious courtesan and fellow Prahova native, whom he famously nicknamed ''Mița Biciclista'' ("Cycling Molly")—according to local legend, she had rejected Ranetti's advances,"Povestea Miței Biciclista, coana cu bikini, mașină coupé și trăsură"
in ''Historia'', February 2011 and referred to him as a "swine".

Notes

References

, ''Bucureștii de altă dată'', Vol. IV. Bucharest:

, 1936. *George Baiculescu, Georgeta Răduică, Neonila Onofrei, ''Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. II: Catalog alfabetic 1907–1918. Supliment 1790–1906''. Bucharest: Editura Academiei, 1969. *Lucian Boia, ''"Germanofilii". Elita intelectuală românească în anii Primului Război Mondial''. Bucharest: Humanitas publishing house, Humanitas, 2010. *George Călinescu, ''Istoria literaturii române de la origini pînă în prezent''. Bucharest:

, 1986. *George Costescu, ''Bucureștii Vechiului Regat. Cu numeroase reproduceri fotografice documentare și două planșe cu peste 200 de portrete caricaturale ale oamenilor timpului''. Bucharest: Universul, 1944. *Ileana-Stanca Desa, Dulciu Morărescu, Ioana Patriche, Adriana Raliade, Iliana Sulică, ''Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. III: Catalog alfabetic 1919–1924''. Bucharest: Editura Academiei, 1987. *Ileana-Stanca Desa, Dulciu Morărescu, Ioana Patriche, Cornelia Luminița Radu, Adriana Raliade, Iliana Sulică, ''Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. IV: Catalog alfabetic 1925-1930''. Bucharest: Editura Academiei, 2003. *

, ''Istoria literaturii române în secolul XX, după o nouă metodă. Sămănătorism, poporanism, criticism''. Bucharest: Editura Institutului de Literatură, 1934. *

, ''Portrete și amintiri''. Bucharest: Editura pentru literatură, 1965. *M. Faust-Mohr, ''Amintirile unui spectator. Mișcarea teatrală în capitală între anii 1899 și 1910''. Bucharest: Leopold Geller, 1937. *

, **''Lupta pentru limba romănească — acte și lămurirĭ privitoare la faptele din martie 1906''. Bucharest: Minerva, 1906. **''Istoria literaturii românești contemporane. II: În căutarea fondului (1890–1934)''. Bucharest: Adevărul, Editura Adevĕrul, 1934. *Nicolae Iorga, Constantin Bacalbașa, ''Istoria presei românești''. Bucharest: Editura Adevĕrul, 1922. * Ion Livescu, ''Amintiri și scrieri despre teatru''. Bucharest: Editura pentru literatură, 1967. *Ioan Massoff, ''Istoria Teatrului Național din București: 1877—1937''. Bucharest: Editura Librăriei Leon Alcaly, Alcaly, [n. y.]. *Z. Ornea, ''Sămănătorismul''. Bucharest: Editura Fundaţiei Culturale Române, 1998. *Ioana Pârvulescu, ''Lumea ca ziar. A patra putere: Caragiale''. Bucharest: Humanitas, 2011. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ranetti, George 1875 births 1928 deaths 19th-century male writers 20th-century Romanian male writers 19th-century Romanian poets 20th-century Romanian poets 20th-century Romanian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century short story writers 19th-century translators 20th-century translators Romanian humorists Romanian male poets Romanian epigrammatists Romanian fabulists Romanian male short story writers Romanian short story writers Dramaturges Romanian novelists Romanian translators French–Romanian translators Romanian writers in French Romanian columnists Gossip columnists Investigative journalists Romanian theatre critics Romanian propagandists Romanian magazine editors Romanian magazine founders Romanian newspaper editors Romanian newspaper founders People from Mizil Romanian nobility Romanian civil servants Romanian political candidates Romanian trade unionists Adevărul writers Poporanists Republicanism in the Kingdom of Romania Romanian World War I poets Burials at Bellu Cemetery